Entertainment Episodes
Meet artists, musicians, filmmakers, and entertainers using their platforms for positive social impact.
100: Alex Hodara and Vin Vomero on first venture together, developing projects, and their wild trips
Show notes: In this episode, Alex, Vin, and Jeffrey discuss their first venture together, developing projects, and their wild trips. They talk about the significance of the pod’s 100th episode, parenting philosophies, AI, the future, Gushers and more Watch this episode on YouTube https://youtu.be/w9y0lTmzEg8 Learn more: Host: Jeffrey M. Zucker Producer: Kait Grey Editor: Nick Case Recording date: 10/23/24 Alex Hodara https://www.instagram.com/alexhodara/ Rocket Club: https://www.instagram.com/rocketclub/ https://rocketclub.com/?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAabkWY7bqg2GBYavVf99cPo3zLLnd_wfcj90cKRwiTjmgUFLWUCazWamKAc_aem_8LsZ3B56poZ1JpCtd5PQbg Vin Vomero https://www.instagram.com/vinnyboombatzz/ FoxyAI: https://foxyai.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/foxy-ai/ Other resources: Jeff’s Episodes - 85.1 https://youtu.be/hC3BlY5QvKA?si=HVvA5exgEf5OEDq_ 85.2 https://youtu.be/eSGC8WB2ssI?si=n0v2hdgU1X-Wk4C5 https://www.instagram.com/dfwdisneydad/ https://dailydad.com/ Chapters: 0:00 - Intro 1:50 - Get to Know Vin 3:05 - What Motivates Vin 5:30 - FoxyAI 7:06 - Alex and Rocket Club 10:55 - HPM 19:07 - Vin, Snap Your Fingers 22:54 - Alex, Snap Your Fingers 25:22 - Vin's Note to Jeff's Sons 26:20 - Jeff's Parents Inspiring Jeff 30:55 - Others Inspiring Jeff 32:55 - HPM Accidental Super Bowl Trip 39:51 - Hockey in Jamaica 42:35 - Disney Adults 47:02 - Parenting 54:27 - Reflecting 58:11 - Future Predictions
97: Rob Kramer on creating generational wealth for the formerly incarcerated
Show notes: In this episode, Rob and Jeffrey discuss Rob’s career journey, including time as a singer-songwriter, creating various software businesses, fighting to bring clean water to people in need, crypto, and much more Watch this episode on YouTube https://youtu.be/692yswK9-nI Learn more: Host: Jeffrey M. Zucker Producer: Kait Grey Editor: Nick Case Recording date: 8/1/24 Rob: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robkramerpurposelab/ Business: https://www.purposelab.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/purposelab-llc/ https://www.instagram.com/purposelabs/ https://www.facebook.com/purposelabsonline https://www.justiceservedcoffee.com/ https://www.justiceservedcoffee.com/ Chapters: 0:00 - Intro 3:51 - What Motivates You? 10:27 - Moving Pixels and Early Career 16:07 - Hip Swap 18:55 - Global Water Trust 23:38 - Purpose Labs 34:51 - Justice Served Coffee 47:21 - Justice Served Process 49:28 - How to Get Justice Served Coffee 52:28 - Coffee Industry 1:03:10 - When Work Affected Change 1:08:50 - Mentor 1:09:57 - Ask Jeff a Question 1:11:49 - Most Grateful for 1:13:49 - Snap Your Fingers 1:15:42 - How to Support
95: Alison Blair on journey from stage actor/producer to NPO admin, power of teaching kids to recognize harmful relationships, her folk-rock band
In this episode, Alison and Jeffrey sit down to discuss her journey from stage actor and producer to non-profit administrator, the power of teaching kids to recognize harmful relationships, her folk-rock band, Little Deep, and much more Watch this episode on YouTube https://youtu.be/6h68_8rMmLM Learn more: Host: Jeffrey M. Zucker Producer: Kait Grey Editor: Nick Case Recording date: 7/9/24 Alison: https://www.instagram.com/iamalisonblair/?hl=en https://www.instagram.com/littledeepmusic/?hl=en Nest Foundation: https://www.nestfoundation.org/ https://www.facebook.com/NestFoundation/ https://www.instagram.com/nestfoundation/?hl=en https://twitter.com/NestFoundation Bio: Alison joined Nest in the spring of 2021. She brings with her a decade of nonprofit administration experience, in both the arts and law & policy sectors . A non-profit theater producer for five years, she has worked both on- and off-Broadway, regionally, and at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, producing festivals, fundraisers, and educational events. She manages programs for Nest, facilitating organizational systems, ensuring program deliverables, managing development and outreach, and providing team support cross-programmatically. In her free time she can be found traveling, reading tarot, and gigging around NYC and the Catskills in her folk-rock band. Chapters: 0:00 - Intro 2:18 - What Motivates You? 4:16 - Current Role 8:34 - Early Life 13:08 - Early Career 18:48 - Nest Foundation 31:38 - Pushback from Parents 38:13 - The Student Experience 47:46 - Future of Nest 50:38 - How Educators Get Involved 54:18 - Little Deep 56:17 - When Work Affected Change 1:03:00 - Mentor 1:05:02 - Ask Jeff a Question 1:09:31 - Most Grateful for 1:11:47 - Snap Your Fingers 1:14:10 - How to Support
86: Terrence Gallman on years in prison, Wall Street, movie production
In this episode Jeffrey chats with Terrence about his tough upbringing, lengthy prison sentence, ultimately landing a job on Wall Street then starting his own firm after release, and the adaptation of his autobiography into a feature film. Learn more: Host: Jeffrey M. Zucker Producer: Kait Grey Editor: Nick Case Recording date: 12/6/23 Terrence: https://www.linkedin.com/in/terrence-gallman-9b08101a/ https://www.instagram.com/terrencelgallman/ https://www.facebook.com/terrence.gallman.3 GIG Group: https://giggroupinc.com/ https://www.instagram.com/urbanren/ https://twitter.com/urbanren1 Other resources: https://www.amazon.com/Finding-Me-Personal-Journey-Rediscovery/dp/1495928780 https://www.amazon.com/LOVES-JOURNEY-Road-Less-Traveled/dp/1481951238 https://www.amazon.com/WALL-STREET-BONDS-URBAN-RENAISSANCE-ebook/dp/B07KSMY4PR Bio: CEO at GIG Group, Gallman currently leads GIG Group whose mission, shared by its benefactors and sponsors, is deeply rooted in the spirit of inclusion and seeks to provide a wide range of “high-exposure/resume-building” jobs for underprivileged communities and provides an opportunity for those communities to participate and integrate in the Global and Domestic Financial Markets, starting with local Financial Institutions in community partnership with GIG. Gallman is also AUTHOR of Love’s Journey: The Road Less Traveled, Wall Street Bonds: The Urban Renaissance, JUSTUS screenplay, and the autobiography FINDING ME, the subject of the upcoming feature film "NO RIGHT WAY,” written by Clay Ayers - longtime writer for Quentin Tarantino’s A Band Apart. Chapters: 0:00 - Intro 18:26 - Early Career 21:51 - Sentencing 30:43 - Leaving Prison 35:07 - After Prison 49:58 - GIG Group 58:40 - Mentor 59:54 - Ask Jeff a Question 1:05:04 - Most Grateful for 1:06:06 - Snap Your Fingers 1:10:54 - How to Support
S6E10 (episode #60): Aloe Blacc on fostering change with music, biotech
In this episode, Aloe and Jeffrey discuss Aloe’s relationship with music, what he learned in the corporate world before going into music full time, how artists can create change, his upcoming cause-themed album, his work in biotech, and much more, covering issues like healthcare, criminal justice reform, poverty, and beyond… Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/d4MqLu2WrKc Learn more: Host: Jeffrey M. Zucker Producer: Kait Grey Editor: Nick Case Recording date: 5/17/23 Aloe: https://www.aloeblacc.com/ https://twitter.com/aloeblacc https://www.instagram.com/aloeblacc/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzZegs5Uz4uhFFPsdQVcC-A https://open.spotify.com/artist/0id62QV2SZZfvBn9xpmuCl https://youtu.be/BTTHS1iSWNs - “Free” Music Video Other resources: https://www.malarianomore.org/ https://artivistentertainment.com/ Bio: Raised on salsa, merengue, and cumbia, Blacc fell in love with hip-hop as a kid and started writing rap songs when he was nine. With his lyrics drawing influence from socially conscious artists like KRS-One, he put out his first hip-hop mixtape at age 17. Later developing a fierce admiration for such soul musicians as Donny Hathaway and Marvin Gaye, he also discovered an affinity for folk-rock singer/songwriters during his college years. “One of the most important factors in my transition from hip-hop to being a singer was listening to people like Joni Mitchell, James Taylor, Kris Kristofferson, and Cat Stevens,” Blacc says. “Their songs are full of emotion that’s expressed in strong lyrics, and that had a big impact on me.” After inking a deal with indie label Stones Throw, Blacc released his solo debut Shine Through in 2006 and sophomore album Good Things in 2010. Boosted by the breakout success of “I Need a Dollar” (which was selected as the theme song to HBO’s How To Make it In America), Good Things reached gold status in countries around the world and paved the way for his signing to XIX Recordings/Interscope Records in 2012. Made in collaboration with groundbreaking producers like Pharrell Williams, Lift Your Spirit dropped on New Year’s Day in 2014, debuted at #4 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, and earned a Grammy Award nomination for Best R&B Album. Looking back on his musical path so far, Blacc notes that landing a deal with XIX Recordings/Interscope prompted a major moment of reckoning, and led him to re-examine his artistic intentions. “When I signed a major-label contract, I recognized the power of having a larger audience, and I promised myself that I’d use my voice for social change,” he says. And in creating his upcoming album, Blacc has kept focused on making music meant to inspire a positive shift in mindset. “When things happening in the world seem so terrible and dark, it’s so easy to get stuck in all the negative,” he says. “But I try to do whatever I can to help people out of that. I want my music to be the light.”
S6E2 (episode #52): Steve Fletcher on the impact and importance of local businesses
Host: Jeffrey M. Zucker Producer: Kait Grey Editor: Nick Case In this episode, Steve and Jeffrey discuss Steve’s career journey to ultimately finding his calling supporting local businesses in Charleston, SC and improving their chances at success Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/5KIcVag8mVU Learn more: Recording date: 3/2/23 Lowcountry Local First: Website - https://www.lowcountrylocalfirst.org/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/LowcountryLocalFirstCertified/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/lowcountrylocal/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/lowcountry-local-first/ Podcast - https://www.lowcountrylocalfirst.org/news/podcasts Jeff on Steve's podcast - https://www.mixcloud.com/ohmradio/small-talks-big-ideas-with-jeffery-zucker-4-3-23/ Steve Fletcher is the Director of Economic Development at Lowcountry Local First. Steve earned his BA from the College of William & Mary and his MPA from the College of Charleston. He's worked as a PR account executive but he's also been a brewery tour guide, a door-to-door fundraiser, a bartender, and a traveling musician. Since 2019, Steve has been advocating for the Lowcountry's local-independent businesses. He currently sits on the board of the William & Mary Alumni Charleston Chapter and formerly served as Head of Partnerships at Startup Grind Charleston. Steve hosts and produces two podcasts that have been selected as finalists for the City Paper's best local radio show category. When he's not hanging with his cats or dog, you'll find him rummaging through the records at Gray Cat Music or cycling with his wife to their neighborhood bakery, EVO, for rosemary cheese scones.
S6E1 (episode 51): Will Hoge on sending a message with music
Host: Jeffrey M. Zucker Producer: Kait Grey Editor: Nick Case In this episode, Will and Jeffrey talk about Will’s journey to becoming a musician, going from all about rock and roll to a family man, the accident that almost took his life, using music to create positive change, and much more… Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/8yiqUImckJg Learn more: Recording date: 3/7/23 https://www.facebook.com/willhoge https://www.instagram.com/willhoge/ https://twitter.com/WillHoge https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrhRpQD6x-k7M0Ge5YxMHqg https://music.apple.com/us/artist/will-hoge/205092 https://open.spotify.com/artist/6a8DSomMqspxk3s3WlBjNT Will Hoge is an American Americana music singer, songwriter, and musician from Nashville, Tennessee, United States. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Will_Hoge
S4E10 (episode 40): Greg Spero on releasing creative potential in every human
In this episode, Greg and Jeffrey discuss Greg’s music career, software endeavors, his many learnings along the way, his passion for releasing the infinite creative potential in every human, and more… Watch this episode on YouTube - https://youtu.be/T69ciFvnCjk Recorded: 8/26/22 Learn more: Greg: Website - https://www.gregspero.com/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/gregspero/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/gregspero YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCON3ixoHJ46HXlkQR4ttdw Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/gregspero/ Pitch: Website - https://welovepitch.com/ Facebook - https://facebook.com/welovepitch Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/welovepitch Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/welovepitch/ Tiny Room studio: Website - https://www.tinyroom.com Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/tinyroomstudiosla/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/tinyroomlive/ TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@tinyroomstudios YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/TinyRoom Spirit Fingers band: Website - www.spiritfingers.live Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/SpiritFingersLive/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/spiritfingerslive Greg Spero and a million creative paths. Greg Spero is a musician on a mission. A multifariously creative force who’s built an entire ecosystem that empowers self-expression, Spero creates music and tech that embodies limitless possibilities. A Los Angeles-based pianist/keyboardist, producer, arranger, composer, bandleader, YouTube educator, label-owner and internet entrepreneur, he’s devoted a good deal of his time to building vehicles that connect fellow artists with audiences. “We all have this ability to be infinitely expansive, to be everything that we want to be,” he says. “It’s a matter of how we manifest our goals.” What sets Spero apart isn’t so much his expansive vision as his combination of musical prowess and entrepreneurial acumen. As a recent piece for the Philadelphia public radio station WRTI declared, "Any notion that supremely talented musicians cannot be savvy, intentional entrepreneurs is upended by the idea of Greg Spero." Familiar to a diverse array of listeners through his collaborations with the pop star Halsey and the funk/fusion Miles Electric Band, Spero has also composed music for film, theater and television, written songs with Rolling Stones bassist Darryl Jones, and co-produced tracks with Ski Beatz. In recent years he’s focused on Spirit Fingers, his powerhouse quartet featuring a cadre of the era’s definitive players, including bassist Hadrien Feraud (or Max Gerl), Italian guitarist Dario Chiazzolino, and drummer Mike Mitchell (aka Blaque Dynamite, a key Kamasi Washington collaborator). AllAboutJazz summed up the combo by describing Spero as “an undeniably gifted pianist” who has assembled “a veritable supergroup in terms of their prodigious talent...Imbued with preternatural levels of skill and a high replay value" The group released an eponymous debut album on Shanachie Entertainment entitled Spirit Fingers, a project centering on a piece hailed by WGBO’s Nate Chinen as “a cinematic composition whose main attraction is the polyrhythmic groove [that] morphs and changes like a weather system.” …bio continued at https://www.gregspero.com/bio